By Kehinde Adejumo
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A community leader in Atamo town in Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State, Chief Akande Olujimi has called on the government at all levels to intensify efforts towards integrated rural development and youth empowerment schemes with a view to minimising the worsening crime rate in the country.
Atamo community is about 12 kilometers away from Epe in Ondo East local Government ,its an agrarian community they plant both cash and food crops. They also produce cocoa and plantain in large quantities.
Olujimi lamented the rising rate of crime in the society, stating that the ugly situation has become a thing of major concern.
According to him, lack of job and infrastructured decay in the rural areas have contributed a lot to unemployment and increasing rate of crime in the society.
Olujimi said cities supposed to be an engine of growth but unfortunately the facilities in the cities are not enough for those that live in them. The influx of rural youths have made the facilities grossly inadequate.
He lamented on the travail of some youths in Lagos and their terrible living condition of those who migrated from rural area .
He advised the government to take seriously the issue of integrated rural development to tackle the problem of youth unemployment in the country .
Olujimi suggested that a sure way out of unemployment is the establishment of cottage industries, provision of power as well as mechanized agriculture in rural area which he said will be of a great help.
He posited that the development of sub urban area will equally reduce the influx of people to urban areas.
The community leader explained that rural development and urban development are supposed to complement each other, noting that development of urban area at the expense of rural will not produce the desire result.
“Government should put in place a measure to improve rural condition so as to achieve a balance between the urban and rural development. According to him, there is need to consider ways and means to reduce urban migration and create employment for the youth .
He thanked the state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for the various empowerment programmes for the youth in order to make them self employed and reduce rural urban migration.
He appeal to the Governor on lack of social amenities in Atamo village despite the community’s roles in economic development of Ondo East local government.
Atamo community, according to him is the highest producer of cocoa and plantain in the local government area .
